Cytometry is a technical specialty concerned with the counting and characterization of biological cells. For example, the concentrations and relative numbers of red and white cells in a sample of a patient's blood may be of interest in assessing the patient's overall health, in diagnosing disease, or for other uses.
Automated cell counting devices have become common. For example, a blood sample may be placed into a sample holder, and a camera or other device having camera-like capabilities may take a digital photograph of the sample. An automated system may then analyze the digital photograph to identify and count the cells present and report the results.
It is generally desirable to improve the accuracy and repeatability of cell counts.